Baling-press.



N0. 733,957. PATBNTED SEPT. 15,1903, W. E. TATE. BALING PRESS. APPLIOATION FILED APR. 2a, 1903. no 10mm. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 738,957.. PATENTBD SEPT. 15, 1903-. W. E. TATE.

BALING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 wmztrzz UNITED STATES Tatented September 15, 1905.

PAT vT Orrrgn.

BALlNG-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,957, dated September 15, 1903.

Application filed April 28.1903.

To all whom it may concern/.- v

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM ELBERT TATE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Weatherford, in the county of Parker and 5 State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Baling-Press, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to presses for baling hay, straw, wool, and other fibrous materials, and has for its object to provide an improved press of the class described wherein is embodied improved means for operating the coinpression-plungers, improved means for adjusting the sides of the baling-boxes in order to secure different degrees of compression, improved means for supporting the press, and other improved features of construction, as hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in rear elevation of the press in position for use. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the press. Fig; 3 is a view in vertical transverse section on the line 3' 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view in vertical transverse section on the line 4 4 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrow. 1 Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the catches 38. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the press-frame formed entirely of sheet metal without any of the uprights and cross-bolts.

Corresponding parts are designated by the same characters of reference throughout the various views in which they appear.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, B designates generally the frame of a baling-press, comprising a base 1, side bars 2, top bars 3, uprights 4, and cross-bolts 5 for holding the portions of the frame in proper relation. The frame is preferably provided with a sheet-metal plate 6 at the bottom, which is preferably perforated at the middle portion to permit the escape of air from the material under compression. Plates 7 are provided at the top of the press at either side of the hopper. ;To prevent the escape of the'fibrous materials between the side members of the press-frame, vertical plates 7 a are provided on the inner surface of the side walls of the press, at the middle portion thereof, suitable openings being provided in the plates at the rear side of the press for the Serial No. 154,694. (No model.)

passage of a chain or belt for transmitting power to the mechanism for operating the plungers, as will be afterward explained.

Midway between the ends of the press-box are provided a pair of spaced bulkheads 8-, which are preferably of the form shown and which are securely held by means of crossbolts 5 and bolts 9, disposed longitudinally of the press and extending through the bulkheads 8. The bulkheads 8 are provided with central openings 10, through which extend the ends of a sleeve 11, internally threaded to engage with the plunger-operating screw 12 and having on the outside thereof a rotary powertransmitting member-=in this instance a sprocket 13, which is rigidly secured to the sleeve 11. At either side of the sprocket 13 is provided an annular groove 14, which serves as a ball-race for a series of antifriction-balls 15, which are held in position by the bulkheads 8 and which diminish the friction of contact between the sides of the sprocket and the adjacent faces of the bulkheads. The screw 12 is threaded throughout the greater portion of its length and has attached to each end thereof a plunger 16, which reciprocates within the press-box. The plungers 16 are both provided with a central squared opening 17,

which fits on a squared portion of the screw 12, and each plunger is held securely in position upon said squared portion by means of a large nut 18, which is secured upon a reduced portion of the screw 12 at the inner side of each of the plungers, and a smaller nut 19,

which is screwed upon a smaller reduced portion of the screw 12, at the end thereof, and which enters a countersunk space on the outer face of the plunger. To prevent the entrance of any of the fibrous material'between the plungers, which might interfere with the action of the press, I provide a shield 19, which rests upon the top of the plungers and is secured thereto by means of screws, as shown, or other suitable fastening means. The shield 19 is preferably provided with openings covered by pivoted flaps 19 to afford means for introducing oil for the screw 12 and the other mechanism for. operating the plungers.

The means for imparting motion to the sprocket 13 comprises, preferably, a sprocket 20, secured upon a shaft 21, which is rotatably mounted in bearings 22, provided in brackets 23 at the rear of the press, and a sprocketehain 24, which travels over sprockets 13 and 20. The shaft 21, upon which sprocket 20 is rigidly mounted, has rigidly attached thereto, on the end portion extendingbeyond the bearings 22, a pulley 25, to which power is transmitted from any suitable source, the nature of which does not enter into this invention. In order to keep the chain 24 at suitable tension, I provide a pair of spring-pressed rolls 26, which are rotatably mounted on shafts 27, the ends of which are slidably mounted in slots 28 in plates 29, which are adj ustably supported by means of bolts 29,,which extend through slots in said plates, and brackets 23 on either side of the chain 24, as shown. The

shafts 27 are connected by spiral springs which lie within the slots 23.

At each end of the press is a compressionabout midway between its ends, and external to each of said uprights 30 is a curved bar 32, pivotally mounted at its lower end in the fork of a transverse bar 33, which is secured to the bottom of the press-frame. The upper ends of curved bars 32 are suitably grooved for the reception of the bolt 34, which extends transversely of the press-frame, as shown, and which has a squared central portion which rests on the top of the press-frame and rounded end portions which are threaded for engagement with compression-nuts 35, which are preferably provided with handwheels or other means to facilitate the turning of the nuts on the bolts. The squared portion of each of the bolts 34 may be attached to the upper portion of the press-frame in any approved manner, as by the staples 36, as shown in the drawings, which prevent rotation of the bolts upon the press-frame. By means of the curved bars 32, pivoted at their lower ends, and the bolts 34 and nuts 35 on the ends thereof, which engage with the upper ends of curved bars 32, any desired degree of pressure may be produced upon the upright members 30 and through them upon the ends of the bars forming the side walls of the cornpression-chambers.

In order to prevent expansion of the bales in the eompression-chambers after the action of the plunger-s thereon, I provide on each side of the press-frame the longitudinally-arranged bars 37, forked at their ends, as shown, and having mounted in the forked portions pivoted catches 38, which are normally held In order to vary the degree of comby springs'39 in such position that the ends of the catches project through openings in the side plates 7 which line the press-frame, at the middle portion thereof. The ends of the catches are formed, as shown, so as to permit the movement of the division-boards outward toward the ends of the press-frame, but so as to prevent the return of said boards toward the middle of the frame.

To guide the hay or other fibrous material into the press, I provide on the top thereof a three-sided hopper 40, which is securely fastened thereon in any desired manner, and at the front of the press an apron 41, which is detachably secured to the press-frame, so that it may be removed when the press is not in position. The apron 41 is provided at its sides with converging guide-boards 42, and at the edge which is attached to the press there is provided on the under side of the apron a rib 43, which engages with a pair of metal plates 44, secured at the top of the two central uprights 4 by cross-bolts 5., The outer edge of the apron 41 is supported by struts or braces 45, which are pivotally mounted on pintles 46, provided at the ends of a bar 47, which extends along the under surface of the apron at its outer edge. The lower ends of the struts 45 rest upon supporting -boxes, which will presently be described. The hopper 40 is divided in the middle byaframe 48, with sloping guide-surfaces 49 and 50, which aid in directing the fibrous material into the feed-chambers at either side of the hopper 40. The frame 48 is provided on its under surface with ribs 51, which are so placed that when the frame is in position they lie between the top bars 3 of the press-frame, and to prevent longitudinal movement of frame 48 between the bars of the press-frame I provide at the front thereof on the under surface a socket for'engagement with a stud 52, which is provided on the upper surface of the apron 41.

When the press is not in use, it is mounted upon a wagon of the usual type for transportation from place to place, the apron 41 and the frame 48 being detached. \Vhen the press is to be used, it is removed from the wagon upon which it is transported and is placed upon supporting-boxes 53 in the position shown. Each supporting-box 53 comprises side walls 54, having the upper portion of each cut away at one end to form a seat for the bottom of the press, which is securely held in position on the supporting-box by means of plates 55, at one end thereof, each of which has an upwardly-projecting lug to engage with the side of the press-frame and the shoulders 56, formed on the side walls of the supporting-box at the end of the seat for the press-frame. An opening between the side walls of each supporting-boxis provided for the entrance therebetween of the lower ends of uprights 4 4 of the press-frame, and

at the end of each supporting-box there is pivotally mounted a brace 57, adapted when the box is not in use to lie within the box, but

adapted when the box is-in use to have the free end thereof secured to the end portion of an upper cross-bolt 5.

In the construction of the press as described in the preceding paragraphs the press-frame and feed-hopper are ordinarily constructed of wood and metal lining-plates, provided in the sides of the frame, as described; but I may substitute for the wooden frame a metal frame, as shown in Fig. 6, in which case the metal lining will be unnecessary.

The machine, as shown and described, has two compression-chambers and two plungers, as is usual in such presses, in order to secure balanced action of the press; but it is o'bvi 'ous that the press may be made with a single compression-chamber and a single plunger without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The preferred form of mechanism for imparting motion to the screw which operates the plungers is that shown and described; but it is obvious that I may do away with sprocket and the means for imparting motion thereto and may drive the chain 24 directly from a motor, or instead of the sprocket 13 I may substitute a pulley and for the chain 24 a belt, preferably of rubber, and impart motion to the belt directly from a suitable motor.

When the press is constructed in smaller size for making small bales of material in which only a small force is necessary to produce the desired degree of compression, the pulley 25 may be replaced by a crank and hand-power used for operating the press.

In using my improved press the press-frame is securely mounted in position on the supporting-boxes, as described in a preceding paragraph, the apron 41 and frame 48 being placed in position, and the material to be compressed is introduced into either end of the feed-chamber in the usual manner. r Motion having been imparted to the sleeve 11, the screw 12 is caused to move longitudinally of the press-frame, and one of the plungers 16 is caused to force the fibrous material of whatever nature into the adjacent compression-chamber, the degree of compression be- 1 ing regulated by means of devices for adj ustmy press other than those specifically mentioned in the foregoing description may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right to make such changes is reserved.

Having thus described the construction and operation of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination in a baling-press of a press-box, a plunger mounted for reciprocation in said 'pressbox, a screw attached to said plunger, a threaded sleeve mounted on said screw, bulkheads rigidly mounted in said press-box and having openings through which said screw extends, a sprocket rigidly mounted on said sleeve between said bulkheads, a

second sprocket rotatably mounted outside of saidpress-box, a chain connecting saidsprockets, a pair of spring-connected tensionrollers between which said chain runs, and-means for imparting motion to the last mentioned sprocket.

2. The combination in a baling-press of a press-box, a plunger mounted for reciprocation in said press box, bulkheads rigidly mounted in said press-box and having openings therein, a screw attached to said plunger and extending through the openings in said bulkheads, athreaded sleeve mounted on said screw, a sprocket rigidly mounted on said sleeve between said bulkheads antifrictionbearings between said sprocket and said bulkheads, a sprocket mounted for rotation outside of said press-box, a chain connecting said sprockets, a pair of slidably-mounted tension-rollers between which said chain runs, and springs connecting said tension-rollers. 3. The combination with a baling press having a press-box, of supporting-boxes for said press-box, each provided on the upper side with a seat forsaid press-box and having at one end thereof a pivoted brace, the free end of which is adapted to be firmly secured to said press-box.

4. The combination with a baling-press of a press-box,a pair of spaced plungers mounted for reciprocation in said pressbox, means between said plungers for imparting movement thereto, and'a shield attached to the the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM Witnesses 'OLAUDIUs BUSTER,

OLLIE BALES.

ELBERT TATE.

IIO 

